Microsoft Surface Pro 2 review: Microsoft's office tablet

Same design, new processor

By Frank EveraardtSunday 15 December 2013 05:58

Introduction

The Surface Pro 2 is best described as a tablet with the performance of an Ultrabook. The follow-up to the first Pro looks very similar to the original, but the hardware has been overhauled. The Pro 2 runs on a fourth generation Intel Core i5 processor and comes in a number of different versions.

Compared to the new iPad Air or the Surface 2, the Surface Pro 2 feels thicker and heavier. The tablet itself weighs 907 grams and measures 1.3 cm in height. In comparison, the Surface 2 measures 0.94 cm and the iPad Air 0.75 cm. The Surface 2 weighs 680 grams and the iPad Air weighs about 470 grams.

The Pro 2 is really for consumers that want a real PC in tablet form, with the performance of a fast Ultrabook. So while it's bulkier than the products we just mentioned, for actual productivity with more demanding Windows applications, this is the better option. Unlike the Surface 2, the Surface Pro 2 comes with the full version of Windows 8.1 and is compatible with all standard Windows software.